As usual, the latest Scion FR-S ad spot features an example in red enthusiastically blasting through mountainside switchbacks.
However, the fun really begins when we are taken under the hood. Send the engineers some cutaways! Engineers love cutaways.
In this Scion FR-S ad, an animated sequence of an X-rayed boxer engine at work provides an interesting look into the belly of the most talked about sports car of the summer.
Somewhat misleadingly, the Scion voiceover made an unneccessary pause while making this remark: "It's the world's first and only horizontally opposed boxer engine... with D4S direct and port fuel injection technology."
Because the video editors decided to sandwich in a few cut scenes before the voiceover could mention "D4S direct and port fuel injection technology," some viewers were confused with Toyota's claim, which suggested that Toyota offers the world's first horizontally opposed boxer engine, period.
Other fans were even angered and left comments on Scion's YouTube channel to give them a piece of their mind. sk1p2mylou wrote, "Last time i [sic] checked subaru has been using flat 4 motors and come turbo... all to sell a car...really toyota?...low blow to the company who give you the motor to use in your car"
The pause between the sentence is no longer than 2 seconds, but the pause is certainly long enough to insinuate a completely different, and false, claim from Scion.
Addressing the sharp rise in angry comments posted on the video, Scion released a statement: "It has been brought to Scion's attention that this FR-S commercial has led some viewers to believe that the Scion FR-S features the world's first and only horizontally opposed boxer engine. This is not true as many vehicles prior to the FR-S have utilized boxer engines, including the Toyota Sports 800 that originally inspired the use of a boxer engine in the FR-S. Scion would like to clarify that it intended to convey that the FR-S features the world's first and only horizontally opposed boxer engine with D-4S direct and port fuel injection technology."
Do you think Scion is taking their FR-S a little too far in this video? Of course, companies have approved the broadcast of misleading ads to sell products in the past but given the success that the FR-S already enjoys, is this ad worth the public backlash? Watch the video, enjoy the cool cutaway, and voice your thoughts in the comment box below:
